Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an orthopedic surgery system for stabilizing and fixing the bones and joints of the body. Particularly, the present disclosure relates to a spinal stabilization system including a spinal rod, bone screws, set screws, and plates. Alternatively, the spinal stabilization system may include bone screws, threaded nuts, and a plate.
Description of Related Art
The spinal column is a complex system of bones and connective tissues that provides support for the human body and protection for the spinal cord and nerves. The human spine is comprised of thirty-three vertebrae at birth and twenty-four as a mature adult. Between each pair of vertebrae is an intervertebral disc, which maintains the space between adjacent vertebrae and acts as a cushion under compressive, bending, and rotational loads and motions.
There are various disorders, diseases, and types of injury that the spinal column may experience in a lifetime. The problems may include but are not limited to scoliosis, kyphosis, excessive lordosis, spondylolisthesis, slipped or ruptured disc, degenerative disc disease, vertebral body fracture, and tumors. Persons suffering from any of the above conditions typically experience extreme or debilitating pain and often times diminished nerve function. These conditions and their treatments can be further complicated if the patient is suffering from osteoporosis or bone tissue thinning and loss of bone density. Spinal discs between the endplates of adjacent vertebrae in a spinal column of the human body provide critical support. However, due to injury, degradation, disease or the like, these discs can rupture, degenerate and/or protrude to such a degree that the intervertebral space between adjacent vertebrae collapses as the disc loses at least a part of its support function. This can cause impingement of the nerve roots and severe pain.
One of the more common solutions to any of the above mentioned conditions involves a surgical procedure known as spinal fusion. A spinal fusion procedure involves fusing two or more vertebral bodies in order to stabilize or eliminate motion at the intervertebral disc or joint. To achieve this, natural or artificial bone, along with a spacing device, replaces either part, or the entire intervertebral disc to form a rigid column of bone, which is stabilized by implantable mechanical hardware.
The mechanical hardware used to immobilize the spinal column typically involves a series of bone screws/anchors and metal rods and/or plates. When the spine surgery is performed posteriorly, it is common practice to place bone screws into the vertebral bodies and then connect a metal rod between adjacent vertebral bodies. When the spine surgery is performed anteriorly, it is common practice to attach a thin metal plate directly to the vertebral bodies and secure it to each vertebral level using one or more bone screws.
However, as in the case of all spinal corrective surgery, a significant amount of instrumentation may still be required to perform the bone on bone technique. The process of properly inserting the spinal rod into the receiving slot of a bone screw and then securing that connecting rod in place can often require that the clinician use a number of instruments and expend a great deal of time and effort. This instrumentation will remain permanently attached to the patient's spinal column throughout the patient's lifetime posing potential risks to the patient's long term health. Therefore, a need exits for an implantable device that provides support and remains in place during use, but maintains a low profile. The implantable devices disclosed herein address one or more deficiencies in the art.